Composer/lyricst of the musical A Little Princess, Marc Folan
A major event in the career of British composer/lyricist Marc Folan has just taken place – his musical A Little Princess has had its professional US premiere, opening Off-Broadway at the Hudson Guild Theatre. Not only that, but an additional run has just been announced at a larger, more central space, the Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center on 42nd Street, from 4–15 June.
Laura Luc, a young theatre entrepreneur from New York (who has been directing and producing since she was 11 when she founded the non-profit theatre company Kids of the Arts), found Folan and librettist Adam Boden’s version of Frances Hodgson Burnett 1905 novel A Little Princess online. Having compared it to all 12 adaptations of the classic novel, Luc decided their version was the best, and contacted Folan in the hope of licensing the show.
Before the writer could catch his breath, he was being told that a ten–show Off-Broadway run planned for A Little Princess had already sold out and there was quite a waiting list for tickets.
A Little Princess tells the story of Sara who has been left at a London boarding school for girls by her wealthy father, Captain Crewe. With his ‘Little Princess’ under the care of Miss Minchin, Crewe returns to India to control his business. As Sara befriends many wonderful characters at the school through her incredible imagination and amazing stories, Miss Minchin grows to dislike her immensely.
When news arrives that Captain Crewe is dead, Miss Minchin robs Sara of all her possessions and sends her to the attic to spend her remaining days as a scullery maid. Cold, hungry and tired, Sara must count on everything she has inside her, and what truly makes a little girl a princess, if she is to pull herself from the muck of late 19th century London and survive her riches to rags story.
“Although there have been a few adaptations of the book over the years, the feedback we are getting is that we’ve got it right.” says Folan. “In other words, we haven’t re-written the book and moved countries or anything like that. On the contrary, we’ve been true to the book and Sara’s story.
“I’m incredibly excited and nervous to see my show Off-Broadway. It’s quite emotional because it really is putting the show out there, for all to see.
“It’s been an wonderful journey so far and the production will be the culmination of years of work. I’ve got to thank director Laura Luc for having faith in the piece. I think I know how Tom Daley feels standing on the top of that diving board. Here goes – see you on the other side.”
Folan has written five musicals – A Little Princess, When It Rains, Goodbye Arnold, …in Love & War, and probably his most successful project, Fame Idle (‘Fame ain’t the name of the game’). The latter tells the story of three kids who are confused by everyone around them being obsessed by celebrity. The show has been performed by school groups and youth theatres more than a hundred times in the UK and around the world.
When not composing Folan is either playing, conducting or teaching music and is passionate about music education and technology. He has written music for the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, corporations, internet campaigns, and most recently scored his first full-length feature film.
But for now Folan may have his hands full as he waits to see if representatives from organisations such as Rodgers and Hammerstein, Warner/Chappell Music and Samuel French will be interested in taking A Little Princess to the next level. (This year is proving to be a popular one for the show, with the US amateur premiere of the musical also taking place at The Hudson School in Hoboken, New Jersey in summer 2014). Previous productions of the show in the UK have been performed by youth groups in Potters Bar, on the outskirts of London, and in Plymouth, Devon.
Musicals may always be transferring from one location to another, but for a British musical theatre writer to be “plucked from obscurity” (as Folan puts it) in order that his show be premiered Off-Broadway is not a day-to-day occurrence. Who knows what the next six months will bring for this English composer in New York.
www.alittleprincessthemusical.co.uk
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